Re: Context

[Stanley Friesen <sarima@ix.netcom.com>]

At 11:59 PM 12/22/99 +0000, GOBI 2010 wrote:
>Hey People,
>>:)
>Seasons Greetings.
>
>In my Archaeology class, we learned the importance of Context when dealing 
>with archaeological finds, and about recording it everywhich-way,upside-down 
>& sideways with radar and god only knows what else. >:)
>So, I was wondering, is context important in paleontology,too?

Very much so.  In a modern paleo dig the exact positions and orientations
of all bones are diagrammed (or otherwise recorded) prior to extraction.
Also, the exact bed the fossil is in, and the exact mineralogy of that bed
is also often recorded, as it gives a great deal of information about the
manner in which the fossil was preserved.

> I'ven't heard 
>much about recording of it, but I think some of the methods would be 
>simmilar to those used in archaeology....

Probably almost identical for the basics.  However, it turns out that radar
and sonar are less useful in paleontology as the density differences are
generally very small.

--------------
May the peace of God be with you.         sarima@ix.netcom.com